admirers of benedict and were admirers of john paul ii accept the view that the church should have moved more aggressively. you cannot simply, as the church has done in recent decades, move priests from diocese to diocese in the hopes that somehow or another the problem will go away. i think that the new pope would be very wise, particularly in the west, to speak out and argue that this is entirely a new day and that the church will become more christlike. >> you know, mika, i don't really know -- nobody knows why the pope is stepping down. we can take him at his word. unfortunately, taking the catholic church at its word over the past decade or so on a variety of scandals has not been what journalists should have done. i think some questions have to be asked here. he stepped down, the first pope to step down in centuries. and again, i love the church. i have a lot of connections to the church. and i just -- this is less about the church than it is about reporters and journalists who are covering this story. i think far too many people are just saying oh, he's old. i think they nee

right or wrong, okay? take a look. ♪ >> pope benedict is stepping down, and the roman catholic church needs a new spiritual leader. could it be you? announcing mountain dew's pope n win contest. check specially marked mountain dew bottles. >> hey, mom, i won! >> plus other great prizes like a pool table and movie tickets. visit mountaindew.com for complete rules. >> good morning, it's thursday, february 21st. welcome to "morning joe." >> it's a big day. >> it is a big day. a live look at times square. inside the studio here, we have msnbc contributor mike barnicle. >> yes? >> are you completely buttoned? okay. whatever. >> have you buttoned everything up? >> i think so. >> it didn't look like it for a second there. msnbc political analyst and visiting professor at nyu and former democratic congressman, harold ford jr. >> we love harold. >> and he's all buttoned up. >> it's the day. >> i know, i'm getting there. i'm getting there. it's the buildup. we also have with us democratic political strategist -- >> oh! >> -- james carville. >> look at this! >> what is this? >> more than